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Cellist Kicked Off Flight After Buying Ticket For Instrument

For DePaul music student Jingjing Hu, her cello--worth--nearly $30,000 is priceless. But after boarding her return flight Thursday she was told she needed to get off. Ash-har Quraishi reports. (Published Friday, Aug. 3, 2018)

So, for her trip to Miami to perform in a music festival, she and her husband booked two seats: one for her and a second for her prized cello. Hu said she called American Airlines and verified with the agent that both her departing and returning flights would be able to accommodate the cello in a set.

“When I flew from Chicago to Miami, I didn’t have any trouble with that," she said. The flight crew gave her a special strap to hold the instrument in place.

Hu was cleared by security and American Airlines representative to board the plane on her return flight, and given the strap again even though it was a slightly smaller plane, she said. But after securing the instrument, it appeared the airline had changed its mind.

This isn’t the first time it’s happened. Last year an American Airlines passenger was booted from a flight because the airline said his cello--also in its own seat--posed a security risk. The airline later said that was an error and apologized. The airline said it rebooked Hu for another flight the next morning on a larger aircraft and provided her with hotel and meal accommodations.

American Airlines told NBC 5 in a statement there was a "miscommunication" about whether the cello met the requirements to fit onboard the aircraft.

"We apologize for the misunderstanding and customer relations will be reaching out to her," the statement read.